This week's Theme for the second Sunday in Epiphany refers to the disciples of Our Lord: those who have taken care to be learners from Our Lord from the year 1 AD and throughout the centuries since.
The impressive outward tributes to the church's persistent faithfulness over 2,000 years is stirring people to ask a sensible question, namely: "What is the best way, now, in which we can honour God's purpose in coming into the world at Bethlehem and in being loyal to our forefathers in he Communion of Saints?" The only answer is crystal clear, demanding and magnetic for those longing for the restoration of the world to peace and loveliness, to joyful living and loving in Christ.
We must, in prayer, rekindle the faithfulness of true disciples - eager, painstaking learners from the King of Love every day in every way. In the Gospel (the good news), it is noticeable how often those living by faith's leading pass through their trials and are given supreme joy.
Jesus told of the joy a mother knows after the travail of childbirth: "a woman when she is in travail hath sorrow, because her hour is come, but as soon as she is delivered of the child, she remembereth no more the anguish, for joy that a child is borne into the world."
It is interesting to note how often in the Bible the outcome of events, after facing trials in faith, is joy. Joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repents . . .Joy in the Blessed Virgin Mary on hearing that her son had succeeded in His mission of love to the world: "It is accomplished." She must have known a mother's deepest joy at that moment.
The best way in which we can honour God's promises, kept over 2,000 years, is by joining the faithfulness of the disciples.
The Blessed Virgin Mary was an influential member and pointed the others to Jesus saying, "Whatsoever He saith unto you, do it." Her unique vocation comforted her as she watched her own Son dying before her eyes on the Cross. She had supreme delight in His accomplishing His mission to the world for all time.
She, too shared the joy of the kind enjoyed by the wise men: "Lo, the star . . .came and stood over where the young child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy." The purpose of their lives was fulfilled. Deo Gratias.
"O God, who by the leading of a star made known Thy Son to the people of the world, mercifully grant that through our discipleship we may know the fulfilment in life which God alone gives to His disciples. Amen." W.W.